There is a house in Spring, Texas, just outside of Houston, that has achieved a certain distinction for being flooded again and again. Over the years, reports The New York Times, it has been repaired no fewer than 19 times, costing the federal flood insurance program $912,732. Its actual value? Just $42,000.

A year ago, Beaufort County was a wreck. Hurricane Matthew brought Category 2 winds and severe flooding to much of the county. It left roads impassable and homes severely damaged. It sucked sand from the beach. It wasted entire marinas, and sent countless docks into the surf. Power was out, and sewer systems were gimpy.

Retiring chief Joey Reynolds has missed a cumulative 10 months of work during his five-year tenure as a leader of an international professional organization, yet he’s still eligible for a payout of $41,000 for unused personal time off.

Weather causes some flight delays and disruptions. Others have a bureaucratic origin. The nation’s air traffic control system, while safe, is gummed up by antiquated technology. American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said in a recent interview that a flight from Dallas to Philadelphia takes about 30 minutes longer than in 1979 because the system is “broken.”

A spate of high-speed law enforcement pursuits ending in wrecks, including a deadly one, begs the question: Is there gap in policy and practice? State law requires the primary pursuit officer to weigh risks based on several criteria and, when the risks outweigh the need to make an immediate arrest, he or she is obliged to back off.

Patty Crower is our choice in Tuesday’s Port Royal Town Council special election to fill six months of the late Vernon DeLoach’s term. She shows a firm grasp of the specifics of town issues, stemming from 13 years of attending council meetings and planning retreats. But she faces a strong field, with Marjorie Lamb’s expertise in operations, Darryl Owens’ longevity in the community, and Bob Ellis’ experience as a successful business operator in town. Crower is most familiar with the issues and people, and has shown a willingness to put in the time to know and improve governance in the town she has called home since 2004.